As the elite of the culinary world descends upon Chicago for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards week, a groundbreaking cultural shift is taking place just a few miles away. On Saturday, June 13, IndigeHub will debut IndigeHouse: House of Smoke & Ash, an immersive, multi-tiered take-over designed to disrupt the culinary narrative and center the continent’s original agricultural architects.
For four decades, “American” food has been defined on some of the industry’s most visible stages without fully recognizing the ancestral foodways that built it. Hosted at Venue West (221 N Paulina St), this inaugural activation serves as a living expression of culture, economy, and community engagement.
Redefining Food Infrastructure From Soil to Plate
The all-day event addresses the entire pipeline of the Indigenous food economy, balancing public commerce with deeply vital systemic dialogue.
- The Market (12:00 PM – 10:00 PM): Operating with a mission of direct economic empowerment, this community marketplace is completely free to attend and free for vendors to utilize. Indigenous growers, artisans, authors, and makers from across Turtle Island will retain 100% of their profits, bypassing traditional commercial barriers.
- The Conversations (1:00 PM – 3:30 PM): Moving beyond the plate, this segment features moderated circles and presentations tackling soil health, seed keeping, water rights, and what organizers call the “missing middle” of food infrastructure. Speakers include Sean Sherman (Lakota). Jaiden Willeto (Navajo), and Geoffrey Kie (Laguna Pueblo). They will reframe systemic poverty and map out the digital and physical networks needed for Indigenous talent to thrive.
The Table: Ancestral Science Shaped by Fire
The crown jewel of the activation is The Table (5:00 PM – 7:30 PM), a collaborative, high-expression culinary experience. This year’s theme honors fire-based cooking not merely as a trend, but as a living science carried forward across generations.
Seven premier Indigenous chefs from across the Americas have designed a menu shaped by memory, land, and story. The headlining kitchen includes:
- Nephi Craig (White Mountain Apache)
- Luis Martinez (Zapotec)
- Stephanie Baryluk (Teetl’it Gwich’in)
- Emmie Strauss
- José Contreras
- Tawnya Brant (Mohawk)
- Bleu Adams (Mandano/Hidatsa/Dineh)
Following dinner, the evening transitions into The Gathering (8:00 PM – 10:00 PM), an interactive, late-night reception filled with music, drinks, and community. It provides a dedicated networking arena where chefs, activists, and producers can mingle with institutional culinary leaders to build a shared future.
Why This Movement Matters Now
In a city that has long served as a historic gathering place for Native nations, House of Smoke & Ash marks a permanent shift from inclusion to authorship. Organizers stress that true allyship goes beyond simple statements; it requires physically showing up to support the economic systems of knowledge-keepers.
While the general marketplace is open to all, specific portions—including the curated discussion panels and the flagship dinner—require advance coordination. Communities, allies, and food enthusiasts looking to support the project can secure remaining ticket tiers or contribute directly through the official IndigeHouse Givebutter Hub.
